Birdon has cut metal on the Amphibious Vehicle – Logistics (AV-L) prototype for the Australian Army at its Port Macquarie facility.
This marks the program’s transition into production under a $125 million contract to test one prototype and, following successful testing of the prototype, deliver 15 production vehicles as part of the Australian Army’s Land 8710 Littoral Manoeuvre Program. The new fleet will replace the Army’s ageing Lighter Amphibious Resupply Cargo Vehicle, known as the LARC-V.
Designed and built in Australia, Birdon says the AV-L will provide a 'step change' in the movement of personnel, equipment and supplies between ship and shore, including across beaches, surf zones and difficult coastal terrain. Birdon Chief Executive Officer Jamie Bruce said cutting metal for the AV-L prototype marked an important milestone for the program and Australia’s sovereign defence industrial capability.
“This milestone signifies the transition of years of engineering, operational research and design development into the production environment,” said Bruce. “This is an Australian-designed capability being built by a highly skilled workforce for the conditions our Defence Force may face across Australia and the Indo-Pacific. It demonstrates that nationally significant and technically complex Defence capability can be developed and delivered from regional Australia.”
Innovation within the design has been reportedly informed directly by the people who operate and maintain the existing fleet. During structured trials, Birdon’s engineering team worked with Defence and the Australian Army LARC-V operators and maintainers to understand how the vehicles are used and supported in real operating conditions.
Digital engineering tools have been used to evaluate hydrodynamic performance, structural loads, acoustic behaviour and terrain mobility before the prototype enters physical testing. The platform is being engineered for demanding coastal, surf-zone, off-road and on-road conditions, with a modular payload system supporting Defence, logistics, humanitarian assistance and emergency-response tasks.
The prototype and subsequent production vehicles will be built in Port Macquarie on the NSW Mid North Coast.
“This program is creating more than a vehicle,” said Bruce. “It is building specialist engineering and manufacturing capability, supporting Australian suppliers and creating pathways for the next generation of Defence industry professionals.”
Following construction, the prototype will progress through testing, trials and evaluation to validate its performance and inform the subsequent design and production phase, subject to successful testing.